Château d'Issy
Encyclopedia
The Château d'Issy, at Issy-les-Moulineaux
, in the Hauts-de-Seine
department of France
, was a small French Baroque
château on the outskirts of Paris
. It was destroyed during the Paris Commune of 1871
.
Denis Talon, who commissioned the architect Pierre Bullet, a pupil of François Blondel
, to design a small maison de plaisance. Denis Talon also commissioned the landscape architect André Le Nôtre
to construct a collection of fountains for the garden, while Pierre Desgots, Le Nôtre's brother-in-law, would carry out work on the park. At the time, Le Nôtre was undertaking modifications on the gardens of the Château de Meudon
owned by the Grand Dauphin.
Denis Talon died in 1698. The following year, on 4 February 1669, François Louis de Bourbon
, Prince of Conti, known as le Grand Conti, bought the estate for the sum of 140,000 livres. The wealthy prince of the blood
undertook many modifications, which are thought to have been carried out by Bullet. The Prince had the façades of the château redesigned and also had a small "pavillon des bains" built. By the time of the Prince's death in 1709, the whole estate had been completely updated. The estate remained the property of the Princes of Conti until the Revolution of 1789
, when it was confiscated as biens nationaux
.
Louis François de Bourbon
, the grandson of the Grand Conti, lost his beloved wife at the château. Louise Diane d'Orléans
was the daughter of Philippe d'Orléans
, the former Regent. She died in 1736, at the age of twenty, while giving birth to a stillborn child in 1736. After her death, her husband rarely used the property.
When the Bourbon Restoration
bought the monarchy back to France, the château was sold several times. The 19th century saw the addition of a dovecote
, an orangery
and of a building similar to the 17th century "pavillon des bains".
During the Paris Commune of 1871
, the château was bombed and left to burn. It stood in ruins for over forty years before being demolished in 1910. Later on, the town purchased a small part of the estate which had mostly been sold off in lots. That plot of land was transformed into Issy-les-Moulineaux municipal parc Henri Barbusse
.
The sculptor Auguste Rodin
repurchased the pediment of the garden façade, as well as the avant-corps columns; he set up these pieces at his property of Meudon
(Hauts-de-Seine).
A majority of the site is now home of the Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer
.
Issy-les-Moulineaux
Issy-les-Moulineaux is a commune in the southwestern suburban area of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. On 1 January 2003, Issy-les-Moulineaux became part of the Communauté d'agglomération Arc de Seine along with the other communes of Chaville, Meudon, Vanves and Ville-d'Avray...
, in the Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine
Hauts-de-Seine is designated number 92 of the 101 départements in France. It is part of the Île-de-France region, and covers the western inner suburbs of Paris...
department of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, was a small French Baroque
French Baroque architecture
French Baroque is a form of Baroque architecture that evolved in France during the reigns of Louis XIII , Louis XIV and Louis XV...
château on the outskirts of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. It was destroyed during the Paris Commune of 1871
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
.
History
The small plot of land was bought in 1681 by the président à mortierPrésident à mortier
The office of président à mortier was one of the most important legal posts of the French ancien régime. The présidents were principal magistrates of the highest juridical institutions, the parlements, which were the appeal courts....
Denis Talon, who commissioned the architect Pierre Bullet, a pupil of François Blondel
François Blondel
Nicolas-François Blondel was a soldier, engineer of fortifications, diplomat, civil engineer and military architect, called "the Great Blondel", to distinguish him in a dynasty of French architects. He is remembered for his Cours d'architecture which remained a central text for over a century...
, to design a small maison de plaisance. Denis Talon also commissioned the landscape architect André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre
André Le Nôtre was a French landscape architect and the principal gardener of King Louis XIV of France...
to construct a collection of fountains for the garden, while Pierre Desgots, Le Nôtre's brother-in-law, would carry out work on the park. At the time, Le Nôtre was undertaking modifications on the gardens of the Château de Meudon
Château de Meudon
The former Château de Meudon, on a hill in Meudon, about 4 kilometres south-west of Paris, occupied the terraced steeply sloping site. It was acquired by Louis XIV, who greatly expanded its as a residence for Louis, le Grand Dauphin...
owned by the Grand Dauphin.
Denis Talon died in 1698. The following year, on 4 February 1669, François Louis de Bourbon
François Louis, Prince of Conti
François Louis de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was Prince de Conti, succeeding his brother Louis Armand I, Prince of Conti in 1685. Until this date he used the title of Prince of La Roche-sur-Yon. He was son of Armand de Bourbon and Anne Marie Martinozzi, niece of Cardinal Jules Mazarin...
, Prince of Conti, known as le Grand Conti, bought the estate for the sum of 140,000 livres. The wealthy prince of the blood
Prince du Sang
A prince of the blood was a person who was legitimately descended in the male line from the monarch of a country. In France, the rank of prince du sang was the highest held at court after the immediate family of the king during the ancien régime and the Bourbon Restoration...
undertook many modifications, which are thought to have been carried out by Bullet. The Prince had the façades of the château redesigned and also had a small "pavillon des bains" built. By the time of the Prince's death in 1709, the whole estate had been completely updated. The estate remained the property of the Princes of Conti until the Revolution of 1789
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, when it was confiscated as biens nationaux
Biens nationaux
Biens nationaux, or "national property", was a concept in French history. During the French Revolution, the possessions of the Roman Catholic Church were declared national property by the decree of November 2, 1789. These were sold to resolve the financial crisis that caused the Revolution...
.
Louis François de Bourbon
Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti
Louis François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was a French nobleman, who was the Prince of Conti from 1727 to his death, following his father Louis Armand II. His mother was Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, a natural granddaughter of Louis XIV...
, the grandson of the Grand Conti, lost his beloved wife at the château. Louise Diane d'Orléans
Louise Diane d'Orléans
Louise d'Orléans was the sixth daughter and last child of Philippe d'Orléans, Duke of Orléans and his wife, Françoise Marie de Bourbon, the youngest legitimised daughter of King Louis XIV of France and his mistress, Madame de Montespan...
was the daughter of Philippe d'Orléans
Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Philippe d'Orléans was a member of the royal family of France and served as Regent of the Kingdom from 1715 to 1723. Born at his father's palace at Saint-Cloud, he was known from birth under the title of Duke of Chartres...
, the former Regent. She died in 1736, at the age of twenty, while giving birth to a stillborn child in 1736. After her death, her husband rarely used the property.
When the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
bought the monarchy back to France, the château was sold several times. The 19th century saw the addition of a dovecote
Dovecote
A dovecote or dovecot is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be square or circular free-standing structures or built into the end of a house or barn. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in...
, an orangery
Orangery
An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
and of a building similar to the 17th century "pavillon des bains".
During the Paris Commune of 1871
Paris Commune
The Paris Commune was a government that briefly ruled Paris from March 18 to May 28, 1871. It existed before the split between anarchists and Marxists had taken place, and it is hailed by both groups as the first assumption of power by the working class during the Industrial Revolution...
, the château was bombed and left to burn. It stood in ruins for over forty years before being demolished in 1910. Later on, the town purchased a small part of the estate which had mostly been sold off in lots. That plot of land was transformed into Issy-les-Moulineaux municipal parc Henri Barbusse
Henri Barbusse
Henri Barbusse was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party.-Life:...
.
The sculptor Auguste Rodin
Auguste Rodin
François-Auguste-René Rodin , known as Auguste Rodin , was a French sculptor. Although Rodin is generally considered the progenitor of modern sculpture, he did not set out to rebel against the past...
repurchased the pediment of the garden façade, as well as the avant-corps columns; he set up these pieces at his property of Meudon
Meudon
Meudon is a municipality in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is in the département of Hauts-de-Seine. It is located from the center of Paris.-Geography:...
(Hauts-de-Seine).
A majority of the site is now home of the Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer
Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer
The Musée Français de la Carte à Jouer is a museum of playing cards located at 16, rue Auguste Gervais, Issy-les-Moulineaux, a suburb of Paris, France...
.